Jobs in the auto industry range from pre-production, such as engineers who design cars, to assembly line workers and salesmen who sell cars on the showroom floor. Mechanics, painters, and truck drivers are among the other jobs available in the automotive industry. Quality control personnel, inventory control, and even custodial workers are all important auto industry jobs in the manufacturing plants. Many auto industry jobs, such as porters who clean and prepare vehicles for customer pick-up and finance officers who arrange financing for new car buyers, are located within the dealership’s facility.
The majority of automobiles start out as a sheet of steel or aluminum. Raw materials are pressed, shaped, and assembled into automobiles thanks to the efforts of individuals working in various auto industry jobs. However, this is not the beginning of an automobile; any new vehicle begins as a sketch on an artist’s sketch pad. Designers, engineers, and artists all have important roles in the design department of a car company’s corporate headquarters. Draftsmen, model makers, and other creative people who work in the auto industry bring ideas to life in collaboration with a research department.
Following the creation of a concept drawing and clay model of a potential new vehicle, it is up to other workers in the auto industry to build the actual vehicle. Sheets of steel are cut and formed into raw body and chassis components, which are then welded and joined together to form a new vehicle. Workers in the engine plant will build the vehicle’s engine and transmission, while assembly line workers will install the drive train into the vehicle’s chassis. As the vehicle progresses down the assembly line, the interior accoutrements, electrical wiring harness, and glass will all be installed.
The vehicle is loaded onto a truck or a train after final assembly and delivered to a new car dealer. Dealership employees prepare the vehicle for the lot by installing wheel covers and floor mats, as well as washing and cleaning it to make a good first impression on potential buyers. Salesmen play an important role in the auto industry, providing information to customers and accompanying them on a test drive before completing the initial buyer’s contract to sell the vehicle. Before returning the customer to the salesperson to deliver the vehicle to its new owner, the dealership’s finance officer, who also works in the auto industry, will complete the buyer’s contract.